Comments

To me, M1 always means what Albert and Queer Joe describe but I've just recently read about your option B and I can't wait to try it. Thanks for posting this - it's always good for me to get a little refresher on these things.

Actually, option B doesn't really require you to pick up a stitch...you just insert the tip of your left needle through the front of the loop below the next stitch and knit it (and then finish by knitting the next stitch normally).

So technically, you don't have to pick that loop up and move it to the left needle...it's usually loose enough to just knit it in place. It's a nice looking single increase.

All of these work really well. Haven't tried the tip that QueeerJoe said for KFB ... I'll have to experiment with it. Lots of luck with that Koigu. Love the look of it but haven't actually knit with any - Yet. Books, knitting, cats, fountain pens...Life is Good.

Visit Crafty Andy's BlogAnd remember it is a hand made item, there is no such thing as an INVISBLE Increase, Almost Invisible is good enough and all the techniques have worked for me. I do a swatch and see with the techniques I will be working with (2 or 3of them) and then choose the best one with the yarn I am using before I engage in a big project. SoOmetimes a simple backward loop does the trick!

First off, ISN'T THAT YARN WICKED GOOD? I used that when I knitted MMario's Faux Spanish Lace Shawl for a friend's Mother and it was pure and simple joy!

I love the "how-to" videos on www.KnittingHelp.com and use them each and every time I have a project that calls for increases and decreases. The M1 that QueerJoe referenced is my favorite one to use. I just follow that video and voila!

My absolute favorite increase is like B. For a right increase, I lift the right side of the stitch below the next stitch onto the left needle and knit into it, then into the next stitch. For a left increase, I pick up the left side of the stitch 2 below the stitch I just created and knit into it.
-Thomas

Like Albert notes, it the lifted stitch isn't twisted, it's almost like you just did a yarn-over on the previous row. A Make 1 or (M1) is easiest if you lift the ladder/horizontal yarn from the row below by inserting your right-hand needle from front to back and transferring the yarn directly to the left needle...then just knit it like that. It will now have the correct amount of twist.

I have also used the other two increases you describe, but when I knit two stitches into one, I prefer to knit the first one into the back of the loop and then knit the second one as normal. Makes a it a little less bumpy in my opinion.

When the increase is at the beginning or end of a row, I knit in front & back of the stitich, or purl in front & back. If the increase is in the middle of a row I pick up the bar between stitches, but it does need to be twisted when put on the left needle.

When you lift the bar between the stitches, you need to twist it before knitting it- this will eliminate holes and be as invisible as possible. Sometimes I actually grab it with my fingers, twist it and put it on the left needle, then knit it. Hope this helps.

Edit: actually, if you pick up the bar from behind with the left needle tip it will be in the correct position for twisting when you knit it. You may have to finesse it a bit with your left forefinger to make slack if it resists being knit.